1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system for processing an image sensed by a digital camera to be printed by a printing apparatus, and a digital camera and printing apparatus suitable for the image processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, when an image sensed by a digital camera is output to a printer as one of printing apparatuses, a personal computer (to be abbreviated as a xe2x80x9cPCxe2x80x9d hereinafter) is used. The PC captures image data from the digital camera, converts the captured image data into print data that can be processed by the printer, and thereafter, outputs the converted print data to the printer.
This processing will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 shows the arrangement of the image processing system.
As shown in FIG. 15, the image processing system is built by a digital camera 110, PC 112, and printer 114. The digital camera 110 and PC 112 are connected to each other via a communication cable 116 such as an RS232C cable. On the other hand, the PC 112 and printer 114 are connected to each other via a communication cable 118 such as a Centronics cable.
An image sensed by the digital camera 110 is temporarily stored as image data in a flash memory attached to the digital camera 110. When the sensed image is to be printed, the digital camera 110 and PC 112 are connected using the communication cable 116, and communication software installed on the PC 112 is started. Communications between the PC 112 and digital camera 110 are done via the communication software, and the image data stored in the flash memory of the digital camera 110 is transmitted to the PC 112 via the communication cable 116. The transmitted image data is temporarily stored in a hard disk or the like of the PC 112.
When the image data transmitted from the digital camera 110 is stored in the PC 112, the PC 112 starts a printer driver for the printer 114, the image data captured from the digital camera 110 is converted into print data that can be printed by the printer 114 via the printer driver, and the converted print data is output to the printer 114 via the communication cable 118. The printer 114 receives the print data via the communication cable 118, and prints an image converted into the print data onto a print paper sheet.
However, in the above-mentioned image processing system, in order to capture image data sensed by the digital camera 110 into the PC 112, connection of the communication cable 116, start of the communication software, start of the printer driver for converting the captured image data into print data and outputting the converted print data, and the like must be done, and operations for printing an image sensed by the digital camera 110 are complicated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing system which allows a digital camera to transmit image data to a printing apparatus without the intervention of any computer.
In order to achieve the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an image processing system having a digital camera for sensing an image and generating image data, and a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium on the basis of print data, wherein the digital camera comprises: data conversion means for converting the image data into the print data; and first communication means for communicating with the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus comprises: second communication means for communicating with the digital camera.
Also, there is disclosed an image processing system having a digital camera for sensing an image and generating image data, and a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium on the basis of print data, wherein the digital camera comprises: first communication means for communicating with the printing apparatus; and execution means for executing software received by the first communication means, the printing apparatus comprises: second communication means for communicating with the digital camera; and storage means for storing data conversion software for converting the image data into the print data, and the printing apparatus transmits the data conversion software to the digital camera.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image processing system which allows a printing apparatus to print an image sensed by a digital camera without requiring any complicated operations.
In order to achieve the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an image processing system having a digital camera for sensing an image and generating image data, and a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium on the basis of print data, wherein the digital camera comprises: data conversion means for converting the image data into the print data; and first communication means for communicating with the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus comprises: second communication means for communicating with the digital camera.
Also, there is disclosed an image processing system having a digital camera for sensing an image and generating image data, and a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium on the basis of print data, wherein the digital camera comprises: first communication means for communicating with the printing apparatus; and execution means for executing software received by the first communication means, the printing apparatus comprises: second communication means for communicating with the digital camera; and storage means for storing data conversion software for converting the image data into the print data, and the printing apparatus transmits the data conversion software to the digital camera.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a digital camera and printing apparatus suitably used in the image processing system.
In order to achieve the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an image processing system having a digital camera for sensing an image and generating image data, and a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium on the basis of print data, wherein the digital camera comprises: data conversion means for converting the image data into the print data; and first communication means for communicating with the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus comprises: second communication means for communicating with the digital camera.
Also, there is disclosed a digital camera for an image processing system having a digital camera for sensing an image and generating image data, and a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium on the basis of print data, comprising: communication means for communicating with the printing apparatus, wherein the image data is transmitted to the printing apparatus via the communication means.
Furthermore, there is disclosed a printing apparatus for an image processing system having a digital camera for sensing an image and generating image data, and a printing apparatus for printing an image on a print medium on the basis of print data, comprising: communication means for communicating with the digital camera; and data conversion means for converting image data received by the communication means into print data, wherein when the image data is received from the digital camera via the communication means, the data conversion means is started.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.